Fire-brick stud



Feb. 8,1927. Y j -1 1,616,746 J. H. GUTRIDGE FIRE BRICK-STUD Filed June 12, 1925 Patented Feb. 8, 1927.

UNITED 'STATES' JAMES H. GUTRIDGE, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

4FIRE-BRICK STUD.

Application-med June 12, 1925. Serial No. 36,580.

My invention relates to means or studs for securing' fire-brick in place within a fire-box and more particularly vto means for securing what are known as seam bricks in place within the combustion chamber or fire-box of a locomotive boiler.

The invention has for its object the provision of a stud which Vmay be readily formed and easily applied and removed when replacement becomes necessary because of the deterioration or burning away of the brick and consequent burning or damage to the inner ends of the studs.

My invention is especially adaptable for use in connectionnwith locomotives of the oil burning type wherein the intense ame must be kept out of immediate contact with the lap joints or seams of the fire-box or combustion chamber wall; it being essential to provide a construction which will permit easy insertion of the studs into place and the lready application of the brick to the sustaining studs'.

The objects land advantages of my invention will all be more fully comprehended from the detailed description of the aecompanying drawing, wherein: l

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectlonal view of a portion of a combustion chamber or fire-box of a locomotive.

Figure 2 is anenlarged detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows. l

Figure 3 is a detailv perspective view of my improved supporting means or stud;

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view illustratinga modification; only a portion of 4 the stud being shown.

In locomotives as'at present constructed, the seams of the combustion chamber or {irebox, especially of the locomotive type, are usually of lap joint construction. As a result, the edges of the seams are exposed to the products of combustion and therefore, especially where oil burners are used, the edges of these seams, due to the intense flame contacting therewith, in comparativel short time burn off. It is essential, there ore, to-

provide means for protecting the seams or joints vwithin the combustion chamber o r lire-box; such protection being afforded by the use of suitable re-brick, or other refractory material, as shown at 10 which must be suitably supported in place lengthwise 'of the respective seams or joints so as to overlap or cover the seam, as shown in Figure 1. The bricks 10, which may be of suitable dimensions, are each provided with one 'or more suitable openings therethrough as shown at 1] in Figure 2; the openings 11 on the exposed or inner surface of the brick being preferably counter-bored or enlarged and made inwardly Haring-as shown at 12 in Figure 2, `and thus provide the shoulders as at 13 to receive the laterally disposed portions or enlarged ends 14 of the supporting element or stud 15 shownin detail in Figure 3, Y

The brick studs 15 whic-hmay be of any desired length are preferably made of a single piece, as for example from a suitable length of half round iron or steel rod, of proper dimensions. As an exemplication of the invention, I show the stud consisting of a single half round rod doubled or bent back upon itself so that the flat sides or faces are brought into juxtaposition. lThe two portions or sides ofthe stud 15 are then preferably welded together, as for example to the point indicated at 16 in Figure 3, namely to within a suitable distance from .v the head end 14 of the stud so as to leave.

the non-connected portion and partially separated end shown at 17 in Figure 3. The outer or welded portion of the stud is formed or bent into the nib or curved end shown at 18, which latter is intended to enter a suitably socketed plug or pocket member 19. The socket member 19 is intended to be secured in `proper openings formed in the side walls 20 of the fire-box; the socket or'pockct members 19 being provided with a curved socket which preferably curves slightly downward and then upwardly and corresponds with the curvature of the nib or curved end 18 of the studs, so that when the curved' ends or nibs 18 of the studs are in-- serted into place and moved to normal posi- `tion parallel with the axis of the pocket members, the studs cannot be withdrawn.

of water from the water-legs or spaces of the boiler.

After the Walls of the fire-box, adjacent to the seams thereof, have been provided With the socket or pocket members 19 (either Welded into place as shown in Figure 2 or screwed into place as shown in Figure 4), the studs, in their normal unexpanded condition as shown in Figure 3, are then inserted into the curved sockets of the pocket members from the inside of the fire-box by holding the studs at an inclina-tion so as .to enable the curved end or nib 18 to enter the similarly curved socket or pocket.

The lire-bricks or blocks or refractory material 10, provided with suitable 'openings extending therethrough, are then placed about the studs 15, that is to say with the studs extending through the holes in the bricks, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. The bricks having been properly placed in juxtaposition and in lapping contact with the seams, the head or split ends of the studs are then expanded or spread apart (as shownin Figure2) by means of a suitable Wedge or chisel; the spreading taking place at Vthe head end up to the point 16 Where the two portions or halves of the stud are Welded together. The inner end of each portion or half of the stud is provided on the round or outer surface with the enlarged portion 14 disposed Substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the stud or rather in l the radial manner very clearly shown in Figure 3. By suitably spreading the head end of the stud, it is apparent that the/head portons 14, 14 will effect holding relation with the shoulders 13 in the countersunk openings 11, whichla'tter extend through the lirebrick 10, and thus securely maintain the fire-brick in firm contact with the seamed Wall; the successive bricks being intended to collie into abutting relation with each other as shown in `r`igures 1 and 2.

By forming the openings 11 in the bricks with the enlarged or couutersunk portion 12, the head ends of the studs may be sealed against the action of the flame by iilling in the enlarged or countersnnk portion 12 in the brick with a suitable refractory cement which will obtain gripping relation with the brick because of the dove-tail or inward flare 'of the countersunk portion 12, see Figure 2.

As is apparent from the descriptionl and the construction as shown, the application of the refractory material or fire-brick to the seams on the interior of the combustion chamber, as well as replacement both of the fire-brick and of the stud, may readily be accomplished by simply forcing or bending the spread head portion of the stud together, namely out of holding relation with the shoulders 13 of the brick. This will allow removal of the brick and the Withdrawal of the stud from its pocket. The curvature and taperof the socket in the pocket members 19 and of the slightly dished nib or curvedv end 18 of the stud permit the application and the removal of the stud to be easily lmade; the construction providing an automatic vclutch or grip which is strengthened or made firmer by the Weight of thea lirebrick when placed on or applied to the stud, so that accidental withdrawal of the studs is impossible. A

As previously stated, it has been found in practice, and especially so in connection With o il burning locomotives, that the lap seams or joints of the combustion chamber are soon destroyed or burnt away and therefore require means whereby they may be properly protected against the intense heat; as for example through the use of a suitable refractory material formed so as to leave no sharp projections in the path of the iiame, as such project-ions it has been found also readily burn 0E. In providing means for protecting the seams or lap joints against the disintegrating action of the fire, it is also essential to provide means of such construction that the protecting element or lire-brick may not only be readily applied, but that easy. removal and replacement may also be accomplished. As is apparent from the construction shown, the bricks will be firmly held against the wall of the fire-box when the ends of the studs are properly spread apart.

I have described my improved stud as being preferably formed out of half round iron or steel rod bent so that the flat surface is bent back upon itself into parallel juxtaposition and then preferably Welding the two halves or portions together for a predetermined distance lengthwise of the stud, but it is apparent that the studs may be differ-` ently formed out of suitable metal and may be of any desired cross-sectional configuration; it being essential that one end of the stud be provided With an enlarged portion or head as at 14, 14, and that said head end be expansible, while the other end is suitably bent,-and preferably slightly tapered, as shown in Figure 3,-or curved to provide the nib as shown at 18; and to also provide a complementary member or pocket having a socket or cavity conforming with the taper and curvature of the nib or end 18 of the stud; the pocket or socket members being either Welded int-o suitable openings in the wall of the fire-box as shown at 21 in Figure 2, or with the socket or pocket member 19 screwed into place, as shown in Figure 4; the socket or pocket members being preferably disposed ou the Water leg side of the comy more cheaply made. It is also apparent that my improved means may be employed to support the outer ends of brick arches; and. while I believe the construction shown to be the simplest embodiment of the invention, it is apparent that modications are possible without departing from the spirit of my invention which has been described in terms employed merely as (terms of description and not as terms of limitation.

What I claim is 1 In a lire-box, the walls thereof are provided with socketed plugs, brick supporting studs on the lire-box interior, one end of the studs conforming with and extending into the socketsl of the plugs', 'whilethe -other end is provided with ahead portion and is slit longitudinally to permit lateral spreadingor cxpanslon.

2. In a fire-box, plugs provided with curved sockets inserted in the walls of the lire-box so as to have the-sockets open to the lire-box interior, and brick supporting means comprising short rods, one of the ends whereof is provlded with a curved nib conforming with the curvature of the sockets, while the other end is provided with a splithead adapted to be spread into gripping relation with the brick.

3. In a fire-box, plugs secured in the walls of the lire-box and provided with upwardly curved sockets opening toward the fire-box interior, lire-brick vprovided with openingsv therethrough, and brick supporting means, passing throughthe openings in the bricks, formed at one end with a dished and upwardly curved portion adapted to enter the sockets in the plugs and have interlocking relation therewith, while the other end is slit longitudinally and spread into gripping relation with the bricks.

4. A fire-brick stud comprising a metallic rod bent back upon itself and welded toy gether longitudinally for a predetermined distance so as to permit the two portions at one end of the stud to be spread apart while the bent and welded end of the stud is dished and terminates in an upwardly disposed nib.

5. A fire-brick stud comprising a metallic rod provided with laterall disposed enlarged ends, the rod being' ent back upon itself to provide two uniform, parallelly disstuds having one end conforming with the sockets in the plugs to form interlocking relation therewith, while the other end is adapted to be expanded into gripping engagment with the shoulders of the fire- 7. A lire-brick stud, one end whereof is provided with a hea-d, the headed end being slit-longitudinally to permit the head end to be spread apart, while the other non-slit end is curved downwardly and upwardly into hook form.

8. In combination with a fire-brick stud having a curved end, a pocket member comprising a plug adapted to be secured in the wall of a lire-box, said lug being provided with a curved socket a apted to receive the curved end of the stud. v

JAMES H. GUTRIDGE. 

